• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2005

Pain is an unpleasant sensation experienced when tissues are damaged. Thus, pain sensation in some way protects body from imminent threat or injury. Peripheral sensory nerves innervated to peripheral tissues initially respond to multiple forms of noxious or strong stimuli, such as heat, mechanical and chemical stimuli. In response to these stimuli, electrical signals for conducting the nociceptive neural signals through axons are generated. These action potentials are then conveyed to specific areas in the spinal cord and in the brain. Sensory afferent fibers are heterogeneous in many aspects. For example, sensory nerves are classified as $A{\alpha}$, $-{\beta}$, $-{\delta}$ and C-fibers according to their diameter and degree of myelination. It is widely accepted that small sensory fibers tend to respond to vigorous or noxious stimuli and related to nociception. Thus these fibers are specifically called nociceptors. Most of nociceptors respond to noxious mechanical stimuli and heat. In addition, these sensory fibers also respond to chemical stimuli [Davis et al. (1993)] such as capsaicin. Thus, nociceptors are considered polymodal. Recent advance in research on ion channels in sensory neurons reveals molecular mechanisms underlying how various types of stimuli can be transduced to neural signals transmitted to the brain for pain perception. In particular, electrophysiological studies on ion channels characterize biophysical properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. Furthermore, molecular biology leads to identification of genetic structures as well as molecular properties of ion channels in sensory neurons. These ion channels are expressed in axon terminals as well as in cell soma. When these channels are activated, inward currents or outward currents are generated, which will lead to depolarization or hyperpolarization of the membrane causing increased or decreased excitability of sensory neurons. In order to depolarize the membrane of nerve terminals, either inward currents should be generated or outward currents should be inhibited. So far, many cationic channels that are responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons are introduced recently. Activation of these channels in sensory neurons is evidently critical to the generation of nociceptive signals. The main channels responsible for inward membrane currents in nociceptors are voltage-activated sodium and calcium channels, while outward current is carried mainly by potassium ions. In addition, activation of non-selective cation channels is also responsible for the excitation of sensory neurons. Thus, excitability of neurons can be controlled by regulating expression or by modulating activity of these channels.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.207-214
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• 2015

It has been reported in the technical literature that orotic acid can be used in order to induce improved crystallization of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers like poly(L-lactic acid), polyhydroxybutyrate and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexaonat). The expected advantage of the changed crystalline structure is a reinforcing effect of the polymers. A lot of papers reported about the application of inorganic and organic agents for acceleration of heterogeneous nucleation. This study reports on an attempt to use orotic acid as appropriate non-toxic nucleating agent for improving mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene. Special attention is given to demonstrate the effect of nucleation in a typical melt spinning process in order to improve the mechanical properties. The effects were demonstrated using rheology, thermal analysis and tensile testing.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2015

Purpose: Mitochondrial diseases are clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders, which make their exact diagnosis and classification difficult. The purpose of this study was to identify pathogenic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in 2 Korean families with myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) and Leigh syndrome, respectively. Materials and Methods: Whole mtDNAs were sequenced by the method of mtDNA-targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). Results: Two causative mtDNA mutations were identified from the NGS data. An m.8344A>G mutation in the tRNA-Lys gene (MT-TK) was detected in a MERRF patient (family ID: MT132), and an m.9176T>C (p.Leu217Pro) mutation in the mitochondrial ATP6 gene (MT-ATP6) was detected in a Leigh syndrome patient (family ID: MT130). Both mutations, which have been reported several times before in affected individuals, were not found in the control samples. Conclusion: This study suggests that mtDNA-targeted NGS will be helpful for the molecular diagnosis of genetically heterogeneous mitochondrial diseases with complex phenotypes.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.121-127
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• 2007

Muscle force produced by muscle fibers is transmitted to bones via tendinous structures(aponeuroses and tendon), resulting in joint(s) movement. As force-transmitting elements, mechanical behavior of aponeuroses and tendon are closely related with the function of muscle-tendon complex. The purpose of this study was to determine strain characteristics of aponeuroses for in-vivo human soleus muscle during submaximal voluntary contractions using an advanced medical imaging technique, velocity-encoded phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (VE-PC MRI). VE-PC MRI of the soleus muscle-tendon complex was acquired during submaximal isometric plantarflexion contraction-relaxation cycle (n = 7), using 3.0T Trio MRI scanner(Siemens AG, Malvern, MA). From the VE-PC MRI containing the tissue velocity in superior-inferior direction, twenty regions of interest(20 ROI; 10 on the anterior aponeurosis and 10 on the posterior aponeurosis) were tracked. During the isometric plantarflexion contraction-relaxation cycle, velocity and displacement profiles were different between the anterior and posterior aponeuroses, indicating heterogeneous strain behavior along the length of the leg. The anterior aponeurosis elongated while the posterior aponeurosis shortened during the initial phase of the contraction. Moreover, strain behavior of the posterior aponeurosis was different from that of the Achilles tendon. Possible explanation for the observed variations in strain behavior of aponeuroses was investigated with morphological assessment of the soleus muscle and it was found that the intramuscular tendinous structures significantly vary among subjects. In conclusion, the heterogeneous mechanical behavior of the soleus aponeuroses and the Achilles tendon suggests that the complexity of skeletal muscle-tendon complex should be taken into consideration when modeling the complex for better understanding of its functions.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.229-234
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• 1997

Silicon carbide-carbon fiber composites have been prepared by partially Infiltrating porous carbon fiber composites with liquid silicon at a reaction temperature of $1670^{\circ}C$. Reaction between molten silicon and the fiber preform yielded silicon carbide-carbon fiber composites composed of aggregates of loosely bonded SiC crystallites of about 10$\mu\textrm{m}$ in size and preserved the appearance of a fiber. In addition, the SiC/C fiber composites had carbon fibers coated with a dense layer consisted of SiC particles of sizes smaller than 1$\mu\textrm{m}$. The physical and mechanical properties of SiC/C fiber composites were discussed in terms of infiltrated pore volume fraction of carbon preform occupied by liquid silicon at the beginning of reaction. Lower bending strength of the SiC/C fiber composites which had a heterogeneous structure in nature, was attributed to the disruption of geometric configuration of the original carbon fiber preform and the formation of the fibrous aggregates of the loosely bonded coarse SiC particles produced by solution-precipitation mechanism.

• Carbon letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2005

The carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized through the catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons in a quartz tube reactor. The CNFs prepared from $C_3H_8$ at $550^{\circ}C$ was selected as the purification sample due to the higher content of impurity than that prepared from other conditions. In this study, we carried out the purification of CNFs by oxidation in air or carbon dioxide after acid treatment, and investigated the influence of purification parameters such as kind of acid, concentration, oxidation time, and oxidation temperature on the structure of CNFs. The metal catalysts could be easily eliminated from the prepared CNFs by liquid phase purification with various acids and it was verified by ICP analysis, in which, for example, Ni content decreased from 2.51% to 0.18% with 8% nitric acid. However, the particulate carbon and heterogeneous fibers were not removed from the prepared CNFs by thermal oxidation in air and carbon dioxide. This result can be explained by that the direction of graphene sheet in CNFs is vertical to the fiber axis and the CNFs are oxidized at about the similar rate with the impurity carbon.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.17-31
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• 2003

$Premi\grave{e}re$ Vision is a leading textile collection held since 1973. In this study, textiles for 2004/05 F/W season in $Premi\grave{e}re$ Vision were analyzed at the various point of view, such as general trend, sub-theme, fiber content, color trend, structure, yarn trend, pattern, texture, decoration, finishing and other technical treatment, and functionality. There were three general trends; natural/ecology, geometry, and combination. Natural color and texture were widely used over the fabric exhibited, and irregularities expressed the natural trend of textiles. Geometric patterns were used for knit as well as for woven. Geometry expressed by various methods such as weaving, knitting, printing, shearing, embossing, and etc. However, geometry shown in this season was not a clear form expressed by weaving, but a blurry, irregular form expressed by various other methods such as knitting. The combination among heterogeneous fibers, yarns, colors, images, and textures was usual, however, the harmony among them was accomplished.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.221-230
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• 2005

Interfacial interactions and interphases played a key role in multicomponent materials irrespectively of the number and type of their components or their actual structure. They were equally important in particulate filled polymer, polymer blends, fibers-reinforced advanced composites, nanocomposites or biomimetic materials. Recognition of the role of the main factors influencing interfacial adhesion and proper surface modification could lead to significant progress in many fields of research and development, as well as in related technologies. Although the role and importance of interfaces and interphases were the same for all multicomponent materials, the surface modification could be always selected according to the objectives targeted, as well as to the characteristics of the particular system. In this wort therefore, several types of surface modification were performed to improve the interfacial interactions between two components in composite system and their results for the composites were investigated.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

In spite of high resistant to corrosion and its strength, over the last two decades, concerns still remain about the durability of FRP materials under severe environmental and thermal exposures. In this paper, authors experimentally examine the combined degradation by thermal and chemical attacks in heterogeneous FRP rebar be made up with various fibers and resins. Five types of Carbon, Glass and Hybrid FRP rebars had manufactured by different process and surface patterns are adopted for the experiments such as weight change, interlaminar shear strength, SEM and FT-IR analysis. FRP specimens were immersed in alkaline or distilled solution up to 150 days and then thermal exposed on 60, 100, 150 and $300^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. From the test results, the degradation of FRP bars are influnced by the resin type and manufacturing process as well as the fiber, and ILSS of exposed FRP bar in solutions is slightly increased in initial stage and then decresed with the passing of immersed time. But, in this test, it is observed that the discrepancy of ILSS between degraded by alkaline solution and distilled water is negligible value.

• Composites Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.8-14
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• 2009

Interfacial evaluation of glass fiber reinforced carbon nanotube (CNT)-epoxy nanocomposite was investigated by micromechanical technique in combination with wettability test. The contact resistance of the CNT-epoxy nanocomposite was measured using a gradient specimen, containing electrical contacts with gradually-increasing spacing. The contact resistance of CNT-epoxy nanocomposites was evaluated by using the two-point method rather than the four-point method. Due to the presence of hydrophobic domains on the heterogeneous surface, the static contact angle of CNT-epoxy nanocomposite was about $120^{\circ}$, which was rather lower than that for super-hydrophobicity. For surface treated-glass fibers, the tensile strength decreased dramatically, whereas the tensile modulus exhibited little change despite the presence of flaws on the etched fiber surface. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) between the etched glass fiber and the CNT-epoxy nanocomposites increased due to the enhanced surface energy and roughness. As the thermodynamic work of adhesion, $W_a$ increased, both the mechanical IFSS and the apparent modulus increased, which indicated the consistency with each other.